Rocks and Cairns and how could we possibly have walked further than yesterday?

Today is the day we return the car and we are on our own , walking or bus riding. We have one more standing stone site to see and it is only a 5 minute car ride from the hotel. By now, you know that we walk everywhere... it is only a 20 minute walk ... no big deal. So how come it took us about 40 and we came at the cairn from the wrong angle? Could we possibly have taken a wrong turn yet again.... ah no matter, we find the stones and they are lovely! The cairn couldn't be any rounder and the marker stones are obviously placed in cardinal directions. We wanted to see if the light came in at specific angles and from a specific stone, but it was overcast and the time that we spent with the stones was the break in the rain for the morning. Reluctantly, we left the cairn and headed back to get the car , fuel it up and return it. Easily done! Returned, deposit recovered and we are off to Centre City to see the University new campus, the Royal Observatory and whatever else we can find. We get a bit off the beaten path trying to avoid the Fringe Festival attendees and find ourselves in the neighborhood called the Crags. We are at the foot of Arthur's Seat and the Crags. Huge volcanic remains that have been weathered by eastward moving glaciers , they are massive and fill the sky. As we are standing looking, a lovely little old woman with her wee dog, came up to us and started a chat. She lived in the Crags neighborhood and wondered if there was anything she could do for us.

30 minutes later, we knew everything about the area and she even shared with us a wee song from her youth.... this is what it is all about folks! As we  getting ready to leave, she hugged me tightly and thanked me so much for spending time with her ( we found out that she is 78 and boy was she a spry  thing! ) We walked up the steps she told us about and the view of Arthur's Seat and the Crags was just stunning. After we took in the height an breadth of the landlords, we continued our walk to the University........ and we walked .... walked some more and then just for good measure, added in a bit more walking . But the University was lovely and on the way to the Observatory. Ah yes, let's chat about the Observatory...... We found it! Up hill and around a corner on a gravel path. It was beautiful, old and with the greenish color that comes from the tarnishing of copper. The view when we turned around was breathtaking and the RAIN had stopped! We saw Edinburgh, the Crag , Arthur's Seat, the Castle , a volcano or two and the North Sea like we were looking through a crystal lens..... At the Observatory itself, we were warmly welcomed, given some material we can use in class ( star charts and stuff like that ) and then told that unfortunately, they were on heightened alert and all visitations were not happening. We wondered if that was because of the car that drove into the crowds in London today? No worries, we thanked our hosts, and walked down the hill , collecting blackberries and enjoying the view.......

Today was a long day and we didn't slow down once we returned to the Centre City.... we headed down to Parliament and on the way I had a bucket list item crushed! I got to hold and pet a really big owl!!! I am still excited about it..... she was so big! 10 pounds or so and wing span over 3 feet. I cannot believe that I actually did that!! We visited the storytelling center.... really an entire center just to develop how to tell stories and how to use them in education....  that is really cool.......
Planning on that this school year...... Tomorrow will be a day for tying up loose ends.... visiting and touring Parliament and Steve insists I have to ride the Huge Ferris wheel...... we'll see about that..... Oh and by the way ... our walking total today was a mere 10 miles....

For now , oidhche  mhath agus bruadar aisling ( good night and sweet dreams )